{"id":21505,"date":"2022-06-01T10:43:00","date_gmt":"2022-06-01T14:43:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.classpass.com\/?p=21505"},"modified":"2022-06-10T15:30:01","modified_gmt":"2022-06-10T19:30:01","slug":"modification-fitness-mistakes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.classpass.com\/modification-fitness-mistakes\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Mistakes You Might Be Making With Modifications"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ve all been there before one way or another: You\u2019re in class and the instructor calls for a series of push-ups and you just cannot muster the strength to complete them. Instead of doing mediocre push-ups you take them to your knees and complete the set.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While it\u2019s good \u2013 and recommended \u2013 to make modifications when you need them, there are a couple of things we\u2019re doing wrong when we take them \u2013 and the push-up is the most difficult exercise to modify.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Common exercise modification mistakes<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

We talked with Molly Key, general manager of<\/span> Enrgi Fitness<\/span><\/a>, to learn about what common mistakes we make when using modifications \u2013 like when we take push-ups down to our knees \u2013 and how we can fix them.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not taking them when you need to<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

According to Key, the number one mistake she sees with modifications is that people just aren\u2019t taking them when they need to. She suggests this may be because there is a little bit of a stigma surrounding the idea of modifications and that some people think it means you\u2019re not working out as hard as you could or as the others around you. But this is totally not the case \u2013 you have to take care of your body \u2013 and one way to do so includes doing work outs that fit your physically ability.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you need a modification and you don’t do it, you could end up seriously injuring yourself,\u201d says Key. \u201cIf your body doesn’t want you doing jump squats because your doctor says you can’t do any high impact activity, don’t do it. Just do an air squat!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Relying on modifications<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

On the flip side of not taking modifications, another mistake Key sees is that some people get so comfortable with them they never take their moves to the next level or challenge themselves.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Modifications are great for injuries and if you\u2019re trying a new workout, but if your body allows you to \u2013 and you\u2019re comfortable with it \u2013 try the traditional move first and then if you need to, move on to the modifications.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Making the exercise easier<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen taking modifications, you have to make sure you’re not making the exercise any easier for yourself,\u201d says Key.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You want to make sure you\u2019re getting the same results you would if you were doing the exercise without modifications.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, if you can\u2019t run and you need to walk on the treadmill instead, \u201cwalk at a steep incline so you get the same cardiovascular benefits as running,\u201d says Key.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not working the same muscles<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re doing modifications, make sure you\u2019re working the same muscles the original exercise was supposed to work \u2013 not an entirely different set of muscles.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen we do pull-ups in class, sometimes, people who can’t do pull-ups often try to do pushups instead,\u201d says Key. But, this is a major mistake. \u201cAlthough you work a few of the same muscles, the mechanics of both moves are totally different. There’s a reason that one is called a pull and the other is called a push.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you can\u2019t do a pull-up \u2013 and if there are no assistant bands around\u2014instead of doing push-ups, Key suggest grabbing a resistant band, putting it over the pull-up bar, sitting on the ground and slowly pull your arms down so you are mimicking the pull-up motion with your arms and back while keeping your body seated.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Forgetting they go both ways<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s easy to forgot modifications can go both ways. If you\u2019re finding an exercise is too easy, ask your instructor for a modification to make it harder. \u201cIf you are at the point where you can do box jumps for days, change the height of the box or throw a little weight on,\u201d says Key. \u201cThe goal of modifications is to tailor the workout to what your body is able to do to help you get stronger.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not properly modifying a push-up<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Push-ups are really hard, so there\u2019s absolutely no shame (ever!) in modifying your push-up technique. However, if you take them from your knees, you\u2019ll want to be extra careful. So, follow Key\u2019s advice the next time you modify your push up:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTo get into the proper position, start in a plank, and then drop to your knees. From here, lift your ankles up to a 45-degree angle \u2013 make sure to keep your hips right where they are. Many people tend to lift their hips when taking pushups on their knees, which reduces the weight your chest and arms \u2013 the muscles you\u2019re trying to work \u2013 hold.  Another issue is people tend to rest on their knee joint. You actually want the fleshy part right above your knee to be the part hitting the ground.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moving too fast<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Another mistake Key often sees, especially if an original exercise called for weights, is moving too fast. For example, if you\u2019re instructed to do a weighted squat, but are unable to do those, your modification will be an air squat. \u201cWithout the weight, though, people tend to go a little faster and don’t complete full reps, says Key. \u201cMake sure you’re still getting nice and low and actively squeezing your glutes when you stand up. Sometimes taking an exercise slowly is more difficult that rushing through it!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We\u2019ve all been there before one way or another: You\u2019re in class and the instructor calls for a series of push-ups and you just cannot muster the strength to complete them. Instead of doing mediocre push-ups you take them to your knees and complete the set. While it\u2019s good \u2013 and recommended \u2013 to make […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23469,"featured_media":21421,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[583],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21505","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fitness-tips-class-recommendations-and-more"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n7 Mistakes You Might Be Making With Modifications - ClassPass Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/classpass.com\/blog\/modification-fitness-mistakes\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"7 Mistakes You Might Be Making With Modifications - ClassPass Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"We\u2019ve all been there before one way or another: You\u2019re in class and the instructor calls for a series of push-ups and you just cannot muster the strength to complete them. Instead of doing mediocre push-ups you take them to your knees and complete the set. 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